ENSPEC
ENSPEC takes much pride in being known as one of only a very few specialist independent companies worldwide that focus on core arboriculture and environmental consultancy services for the Built Urban Environment. ENSPEC does not undertake any practical service and does not provide consultation to the domestic homeowner or property land developer unless referred by an industry peer or government agency.
ENSPEC adopted this business ethic many years ago to ensure our governmental clients both nationally and Internationally, have full confidence that the independent advice being offered by ENSPEC for the urban environment is truly independent and ensure there is no further gain to be made by ENSPEC once we submit our reports.
ENSPEC is continually developing our head office facilities in Melbourne which incorporates a scientific laboratory dedicated to the Built Urban Environment .This facility ensures our trees are preserved for future generations. As many clients are aware our laboratory offers a range of research services specialising in fungi identification, natural antagonists and dynamic loading of trees. ENSPEC also provides more common laboratory services such as DNA, Soil and Poison analysis.
ENSPEC research division is continually growing. ENSPEC published our research paper titled Evaluation of an antagonistic Trichoderma strain for reducing the rate of wood decomposition by the white rot fungi Phellinus noxius in the Journal of Biological Control. This is the first phase of a 6 year research project completed, our focus is now turning to field trials using natural antagonists to suppress or have lethal affects against strong wood degrading fungus such as Phellinusand Ganoderma species.
ENSPEC dynamic tree research has been focused on root plate movement to establish methods to measure and learn the parameters of overturning moments to understand whole tree failure. The Journal of Agriculture and Forestry has published one of our scientific papers ‘Measuring tilt of tree structural root zones under static and wind loading’. In more recent time the journal Bio systems Engineering published our paper titled’ Tree stability in winds: measurements of root plate tilt’ and the Journal of Arboriculture UK published our paper titled ‘Stability of urban trees in high winds’
Our focus from this research has been to develop tools that measure the tilt of root plates that anyone with a basic understanding of Arboriculture can use. The tilt sensors we used for this research has seen Argus Electronics in Germany progress our research findings and they have developed a new dynamic sensor specifically for measuring incremental movement in a root plate for the management of overturning moments.
One of the most onerous parts of our root plate movement research was analysing the data collected over many days of monitoring during windy conditions. The outcome of this is ENSPEC has developed a specific software programme that reads the data recorded by the Tree Motion Sensor and X-62 sensors during the monitoring periods. The data is able to be uploaded onto the www.treesensor.com cloud and the software analyses the data recorded, removes uncharacteristic vibrations, calibrates and provides a report. During the research project one tree would take around six hours to analyse the data and produce a report. With the treesensor.com software this process takes around 10 minutes once the data is uploaded.
ENSPEC has been one of the earliest proponents of incorporating i-Tree into Australia, and is the key research partner for converting and adapting i-Tree to an Australian context.This has involved the research, collation and formalisation of critical climatic, geographic and botanical data to be used for the program in Australia.
ENSPEC support and fund its own research institute and provides one of the most extensive specialist consultancy services across the globe. ENSPEC owns and operates the world’s most diverse range of scientific diagnostic and quantitative measuring equipment and systems.
Our Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), complete with GPS integration and the unique RADAN 3D software, has really set a new standard in root analysis throughout the world; to date no other company using this system has achieved our standard of results. Our GPR allows ENSPEC to undertake test scans and produce scaled digital 3D drawings while on site, allowing the client to evaluate their situation onsite, in real time and scale. With a range of antennas (900MHz, 400MHz and 270 MHz), our system has the ability to scan from the surface to a depth of up to 7 meters in highly reactive clay soil and up to 12 meters in sand, identifying roots as small as 5mm in diameter.
The PiCUS Sonic Tomograph is a non-invasive method of measuring the structural integrity of trees and the extent of fungal invasion in all wooden structures. Through the sound waves created at each sensor, this system allows comprehensive 2 and 3D images of the internal structure of the tree to be mapped and produced.
Complementing the PiCUS Sonic Tomograph is the PiCUS (Treetronic) Electronic Impedance Tomograph. The Treetronic gathers chemical information about the wood, such as water and/or ion concentration. Point-like electrodes inserted into the cambium of the tree trunk create an electrical field which measures spatial difference, allowing accurate conclusions to be made about the structure of the tree/wood/trunk. The non-destructive nature of the Treetronic is an added advantage to using this equipment which provides a 2 D computer printout.
Statics integrating inspections are carried out with pulling tests that exert a wind substituting load on the tree using a winch and a steel cable. The reaction of the stressed trees under a defined load is measured with high resolution devices(elastometer and inclinometer) and the data obtained are compared with those of sound trees. In all safety calculations using this method, three major components are considered: wind-load, material properties of green wood and the surface of the load bearing structure (trunk diameter, extent of hollowness).
Further enhancing our scientific diagnostic service, is the Electronic Fracture Meter. This latest addition to our diagnostic armoury allows ENSPEC to conduct accurate wood strength testing on site,allowing us to verify our diagnosis of wood strength in trees and thereby giving our clients unprecedented confidence in our tree management decisions.These results can be graphed and included in our high-quality written reports,giving you the best information to present to your stakeholders.
The RADAR, PiCUS Sonic Tomograph, PiCUS Electronic Impedance, Dynamic wind loading sensors, Static pull loading and the computerised Fracture Meter all complement ENSPEC’s comprehensive range of diagnostic equipment for assessing all wooden structures.
For tree health assessment ENSPEC uses a Chlorophyll Fluorescence Meter, commonly known as a Handy-PEA. The H-PEA is a compact,highly portable continuous-excitation type chlorophyll fluorescence analyser.This unit is suitable for large scale screening of samples in the field or greenhouses in diagnostic, research and teaching applications.
To complement our measuring equipment ENSPEC has an extensive range of GPS and GIS equipment and software.Our Trimble GPS units with wireless reflective lasers allow ENSPEC to map assets to sub-150mm accuracy.
ENSPEC has a complete range of computer software for our GPS and GIS data collection methods; we can offer our clients a choice of software including Map info, Arcview and Autocad. By having this extensive range of software programs available for our clients, ENSPEC can supply a comprehensive level of service in data collection, data presentation and mapping. This enables ENSPEC to complete your mapping project from start to finish, including GIS overlays ready to be integrated straight into the council’s existing systems.
More recently these inventories have included collecting the key attributes required for use with i-Tree Eco for full measurements of the environmental benefits of trees in our Built Urban Environment. These extensive inventories have been conducted in conjunction with ENSPEC’s general urban forest inventory programs, which include GIS/ GPS mapping of tree locations, full Visual Tree Assessments (VTA),and recommendations and prioritisation of remedial works.
ENSPEC has developed a unique “lockable headstock and flotation base plate system” for propping trees. One prop can support branches up to 20 tonne in weight, and the tree prop can be continually adjusted to grow with the tree over many years. When using this system there is no requirement for digging foundation holes in the root plate of the tree; this is another non-invasive system for tree preservation by ENSPEC.
ENSPEC invites all delegates to visit our display over the conference period and view our extensive range of diagnostic and scientific measuring equipment, tree inventory collection systems and other state of the art equipment. We invite you to discuss with us our new scientific laboratory services and research which may be of value to assist your trees.
If you require further information please visit www.enspec.com
